Seattle strikes a blow for rights of the transgenderd

[michellej]

this is nice to see:
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/264583_transgender28.html

I don't live here because I like rain!

[Sharon]

With an eye on an impending drive to overturn the state's new gay rights law, the King County Council on Monday added gender identity to its list of characteristics protected from discrimination.

"This is just another step in bringing equal justice under law to all citizens," Councilman Dow Constantine, D-Seattle, said before joining the 5-4 party line vote to approve the ordinance. County Executive Ron Sims supports the measure and is likely to sign it.

The vote brings county ordinances in line with a 2006 state law that bars discrimination against gays, lesbians or transgendered individuals in employment, housing or lending. The county previously prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation; the new measure extends protection over gender identity, as in the state law.

The county ordinance covers employment, public accommodations and housing. It also applies to contractors doing businesses with the county, which goes beyond the reach of the state law, Councilwoman Julia Patterson, D-SeaTac, said.

But Constantine and other council members acknowledged they were motivated as well by the effort by initiative guru Tim Eyman to set aside the state law in a November referendum.

They want to shield gender identity from discrimination in the county should Eyman succeed.

More than a dozen citizens spoke in favor of the proposal, including several who said they had changed their gender from male to female or vice versa. One person -- Randall Leskovar, pastor of Calvary Chapel West Seattle -- spoke against it.

Leskovar warned that if the ordinance were approved, a male kindergarten teacher could show up in the classroom one day wearing lipstick, a dress and heels -- and horrified parents would have no recourse to protest.

"I think this is lunacy," he said.



But Marsha Botzer said that kind of thing has not happened in the many cities and counties across the country that have extended anti-bias protection to gender identity.

"These laws do nothing but protect people against discrimination," she said.

The city of Seattle has afforded the protection since 1986, Botzer said, and other cities in the state have joined in since

[linnea]

As a Washingtonian, I am very glad to see this news. I hope that the practice will extend throughout the state, but having it occur in King County is a significant step in the right direction.

[Billijo49504]

I wish we had the same protection in MI...BJ

[KatieZ]

From the article:

One person -- Randall Leskovar, pastor of Calvary Chapel West Seattle -- spoke against it.

Leskovar warned that if the ordinance were approved, a male kindergarten teacher could show up in the classroom one day wearing lipstick, a dress and heels -- and horrified parents would have no recourse to protest.

"I think this is lunacy," he said.


Quite a statement from a man that is supposed to be preaching love of all "Gods" children.
Funny how the holier than thou group keep trying to deny "God" and keep spinning their own agenda.

The religious right........is neither.

[Wenda]

That is very good to see. From Vancouver, BC to San Diego, the west coast has a different view on life. Interesting on the person worried about a kindergarten teacher (male) showing up in heels, dress and lipstick. So, if the kindergarten teacher (female) showd up in hiking boots, jeans, and no make-up, would he have been equally repulsedÉ

[DawnLabelle]

Leskovar warned that if the ordinance were approved, a male kindergarten teacher could show up in the classroom one day wearing lipstick, a dress and heels -- and horrified parents would have no recourse to protest.


I hate to play devil's advocate here, being a tranny and all, but I'm not sure if in this day and age I would want an en femme cd'er to teach my young children either. Maybe 100 years from now when cd'ing is more visible in daily life and has lost alot of its negative connotations (assuming that happens), but I don't think shoving a fully made t-girl in front of a bunch of kids is a good idea. They wouldn't know what the hell is going on, undoubtedly alot of them would have dissaproving parents who would bad mouth and insult the teacher, thus spreading their own bigotry onto their children at a very impressionable age. If these kids start seeing cd'ers as a source of conflict and hate at such a young age, they wont have any choice but to follow suit.

Once you wont even turn your head at a (appropriately dressed) cd'er on the street cause although not the norm, its just "nothing new" anymore, then ok.

Having anti-discrimination protection is always good though, helps for those horrible cases when a t-girl gets beat to death and the prick who did it gets off on "i thought it was a chick and I flipped" BS copout.

just my 0.02
Dawn

[Crisack]

A number of things in the US have had to be forced on the public before it was generally accepted. Sometimes it takes a law to make everyone realize "Hey, that's okay" and move on with their own lives. I think a male teacher in a dress better be able to teach as well as one that isn't. Oh, he better have some kind of fashion sense also because I wouldn't want a trampy looking CD'er teaching my child. A little self respect kinda thing.

[uknowhoo]

Cool !!

Thanks Michelle.